nonbinary (large)

A person’s nonbinary gender is defined by what it is not: that is, an identification with the binary options of man and woman. Patriarchal societies rely on this strict division of social categories. Nonbinary gender identifications take distance from this strict social construction of gender. The expression of a person’s nonbinary gender might be signalled by the use of different pronouns than those used for binary men and women. This use of language is one way to express how a person may feel to be on a spectrum between woman and man, sometimes leaning towards one gendered category more than the other, or for others nonbinary refers to experiencing fluidity within the two. Nonbinary is an important part of the history of gender politics and social identity, and still forms a crucial site for political contestation. Nonbinary identities are vital for revolting against gender norms, as well as challenging how physical and emotional expressions are disciplined and policed.